Sociology 2105A/B Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Correspondence Theory Of Truth
12 Jan 2016
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Social scientists have moved away from grand theories and instead moved towards middle range theories. One approach to assessing validity is to adopted a method that evaluates theories based on theories of truth. For example gathering empirical evidence through observation is sought to demonstrate the merit of a theory. Assessing theories in this way follows the correspondence theory of truth. Theories that become widely shared have more credibility in terms of consensus theory or truth often because their logic seems sound, a requirement of the consistency theory of truth. Over time theories rise and fall depending on how much empirical support for them (correspondence), how widely they are accepted (consensus) and how logically coherent they are (consistency) Confidence in one theory can lead researchers to treat their them as rubber sheets. Rubber sheeting: trying to stretch their theories to cover up many more phenomena or context than is justified by the assumption of the theory.
